South Africa Get the Monkey Off Their Backs Thumping Sri Lanka

South Africa 134-1 (de Kock 78 no) beat
Sri Lanka 133 (Sangakkara 45) by nine wickets
World Cup, 1st Quarter-Final in Sydney
Scorecard

South Africa gave Sri Lanka a taste of their own medicine as spinners, JP Duminy and Imran Tahir picked seven wickets between them at the Sydney Cricket Ground to ensure South Africa won its first knock-out game at the World Cup.

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat in what was an excellent track that had pace, bounce and some turn for the spinners.

Sri Lanka changed their batting order, at the wrong time, in hindsight, with Kusal Perera (3) coming out to open.

The South African pacers set the game up nicely, with both Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan (0) back in the hut before the end of five overs, Quinton de Kock starting proceedings with a brilliant catch, at second attempt while in the dive.

The South Africans were really pumped up and Dale Steyn (1-18), Kyle Abbott (1-27) and Morne Morkel (1-27) were absolutely unplayable with their pace, movement and bounce not allowing the Sri Lankan batsmen to get away.

Kumar Sangakkara (45) went into a shell having scored his first five runs in 39 balls, even though Lahiru Thirimanne (41), probably Sri Lanka’s best batsman on the day, played a fine counter-attacking innings for a while.

Sangakkara and Thirimanne added 65 for the third wicket, the biggest partnership of the innings, with Thirimanne stroking some airy but gorgeous boundaries against Morkel in particular.

However, he was foxed by change of pace from Imran Tahir (4-26) who produced a special man-of-the-match winning performance.

After Thirimanne’s dismissal, Sri Lanka lost their way completely and never recovered as they descended from 69 for two to 133 all-out.

Tahir almost got Mahela Jayawardene (4) lbw off a googly, the decision reviewed but staying with the umpire.

However, Jayawardene who wasn’t picking Tahir, fell victim almost immediately pulling one straight to short midwicket with the leg spinner dismissing him for the fourth time.

Angelo Mathews (19) tried to up the ante with Sangakkara on the other end virtually stagnating but fell to JP Duminy (3-29) who knocked in the final nails with a hat-trick, first taking the skipper Mathews’ wicket, followed by those of Nuwan Kulasekara (1) and Tharindu Kaushal (0).

Sri Lanka were eventually bundled out for 133 in just the 38th over, a score barely enough to post a challenge against an intimidating South African line-up.

South Africa started out on a positive note chasing a very small target. de Kock (78 not out) chose the all-important game to come back to form.

His 57-ball knock was laced with 12 delectable fours as he found the middle of the bat against Kulasekara (0-13) driving square twice before flicking one to square leg, making it three fours in an over, the only one bowled by Kulasekara in the innings.

From then on, he was unstoppable seeing South Africa through in the chase.

Hashim Amla (16) threw his wicket away at the stroke of break, hitting one short and wide straight to third man giving Lasith Malinga (1-43) his first wicket.

However, Faf du Plessis (21) along with de Kock ensured there are no more hiccups as they chased down the target in just 18 overs.

Sri Lanka’s bowling was pretty ordinary, Tharindu Kaushal (0-25) who became only the second player to debut in a knock-out game being the only bright spot, troubling the batsmen with his spin a little.

It was not the kind of farewell game Sri Lankans would have liked for their legends Sangakkara and Jayawardene, as both players walk into the twilight having played their last One-Day International.

South Africa await the winner of the New Zealand - West Indies quarter-final in Wellington on Saturday for their semi-final clash.

© Cricket World 2015